


Eyes always seeking

by Menatiera



Series: Bingo Fills [12]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Grocery Shopping, PDA, Panic Attacks, Public Display of Affection, Slice of Life, Start of a panic attack, but it's okay he's loved, day of life, i mean kissing, it's not as angsty as it seems promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-29 12:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19019671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menatiera/pseuds/Menatiera
Summary: "I came out to have a good time and I honestly feel so attacked right now" - this could be the summary of Bucky's experience.Written for the first/last sentence prompt by Hiriajuu: 'Don't look back'.Also a Bucky Barnes Bingo fill: K5 - Day in life.





	Eyes always seeking

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for [@Hiri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hiriajuu) for the prompt, and [@Huntress79](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress79) for the super speedy beta work!
> 
> The title came from the awesome Hozier lyrics title generator, which is a godsend. [here.](http://generatorland.com/usergenerator.aspx?id=22501)
> 
> Thanks for orlissa who supplied me with advice how lipstick actually works! 
> 
> \----
> 
> for the BBB mods, here are the required information:  
> Title: Eyes always seeking  
> Square Filled: K5 - Day in life  
> Author: Menatiera  
> Pairing: Winterwidow (Bucky/Natasha)  
> Rating: G  
> Warning: start of a panic attack  
> Summary: "I came out to have a good time and I honestly feel so attacked right now" - this could be the summary of Bucky's experience.  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19019671

_Don’t look back._

Bucky’s fingers spasmed, and he swallowed hard as he walked away, his steps light despite his heart beating like thunder in his chest. He wasn’t followed, he thought at least - small mercies.

He didn’t expect this. The mission seemed easy when he accepted it, yet here he was, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, threatening everything he had achieved and held dear. He took a slow, deep breath, his grip tightening even more, and the plastic creaked under his metal fingers.

“James?” Natasha showed up next to him. To Bucky, it seemed as if she appeared out of thin air, but deep down,  he knew better. It just meant that his awareness was failing. Of course, Natasha was the best spy, she could damn well appear without warning, but she wouldn’t do that here and now, she…

“Zvezda moya?” Natasha said, causing Bucky to lunge forward and plaster his free hand to her mouth.

“Shhh,” he warned with a low and guttural growl.

Natasha followed suit. Of course she did, she was quick on her feet, never fully relaxed outside of the Tower (and rarely even in there), and she let herself be pushed back, into the benevolent shadow of the tall shelves. She asked only with her eyes, forehead wrinkled with confusion as she tried to peek in the direction where Bucky had came from.

Bucky stepped in to block her sight. He couldn’t… the situation would be even worse for her, and Bucky wished desperately to spare the ones he loved. And of course he loved the whole team, but Natalia was a special case - this romantic feeling was different from the familial one he had for Steve, or the friendly affection he harboured for the rest of them. (Okay, maybe except for Sam. He was an asshole who would have deserved it, but he’d enjoy it, so wasn’t worth it.) Not stronger, not better feeling, just… different.

Intense. World-consuming. Thought-shattering.

And Bucky was always protective.

Natasha gently knocked off the items out of his hand, not paying attention to them on the floor anymore, and raised to her tiptoes to touch their foreheads together, her free hand slipping to the back of his neck. “Stay with me,” Natasha murmured, her tone commanding, and in any other circumstances Bucky would’ve protested - but it was good now, soothing, comforting.

He trusted Nat.

And really, this situation was more of her expertise after all.

“They’ll spot us,” Bucky warned, hoarse.

“I don’t care,” she answered, and finally, finally kissed him. Her lips were sweet, her blood red lipstick flavored with cherry. That meant that she went for the cheap brand that morning, the one that she liked despite it being marketed to teenage girls with glitter fetish, and Bucky knew that it left smudged and slightly shiny red marks on his face. But he didn’t care - not when Natasha gently nibbled on his lower lip, not when their tongues touched and he could lick his agreement into the kiss. Not when this, being kissed, made her smile, barely suppressing a giggle, Bucky could tell, and the nervous knots eased in his stomach as well, and he wanted to do way more than just kissing her.

Of course, how close they were, Natasha noticed.

“Not the right time, James,” she said, and swatted at Bucky’s shoulder. “Get a grip, Soldier.”

And she was right, of course. Still, it was easier said than done as Bucky blushed a pale pink, covering his crotch with one hand, knowing all too well that it just made his situation the more obvious.

Natasha laughed, magicked a wet wipe to her hand and more or less cleaned his face with it, then bent over to pick up their stuff. Bucky did the same.

The wrapped bread survived the fall without much problems, and the butter only deformed a bit in its paper wrap, but the eggs were helplessly broken.

Natasha grimaced, and Bucky raised his hand in defense. “You dropped them, not me,” he pointed out.

“Like I had another choice,” she teased, and gently scolded him as she handed back the items. “Seriously, babe, I’ll ban you from grocery runs if you panic every time someone asks for a selfie.”

“At least I don’t threaten them when they approach me…”

“Your murder glare is enough of a threat,” Natasha answered without missing a beat, lipstick already in her hand as she started to reapply the make-up. “You’re a ghost story, you could really learn to avoid them better.”

“I don’t expect them! Why would they want a picture of  _me_?” Bucky complained, still quiet, glancing back. Even the thought of the cameras pointing toward him - it was enough to kick his anxiety back in gear. He hated the attention he got since he had been pardoned and in active duty as an Avenger, part of his sentence to make up for his time as the Winter Soldier. He knew he wasn’t the only one - most of the team forced their smiles when they were approached - but he was the only one who handled it this badly.

Natasha sighed, and shook her head a bit. “We’ve been over this a million times,” she reminded. She rubbed her lips together, took away the lipstick, then held Bucky’s metal hand in hers. “Let’s go and pay for this.”

Bucky followed suit, but couldn’t help prying to the direction he had came from, wondering if those youngsters who asked for a selfie and an autograph were still there or not. He wouldn’t want Nat to get into the same uncomfortable situation because of him. She noticed and gently turned his head forward.

“You’ll do better next time,” she promised, like always. Bucky hoped one day she’d be right. “You know what you have to do, James. Don’t look back.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment if you got to this point :)
> 
> If you liked it or want to know more about the upcoming fics, ask questions or yell at me, you can come visit me [at my tumblr](https://menatiera.tumblr.com/) or look for me in Discord (I have the same name, Menatiera, there too).


End file.
